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KNOWvember - Learning Lessons: the Brown Paper method

Government Information Group Know-vember logo, incorporating autumn coloured leaves and background, with the KNOWvember text. The GIG logo is also included

Welcome to the fourth in our series of KNOWvember blog postings where we sharing true Knowledge Management (KM) nuggets from our webinar archive. This posting provides an outline of using the Brown Paper method for identifying lessons learned, a crucial stage in project management, but applicable in many other operational review situations.

In this webinar extract from March 2021, Dr Derek Shaw, KM Lead at the UK Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), talked about transferring standard KM practices during the online / remote working contexts of the early stages of the COVID Pandemic. One method that Derek introduced is the Brown Paper methodology - a collaborative technique often used to visualize processes, identify issues, and capture insights in a highly interactive way. This methodology can be used to:

  • map out a process or project visually
  • identify successes, failures, and improvement opportunities
  • capture lessons learned in a structured, transparent manner

Mapping Issues

A large sheet of brown paper (or a digital equivalent) is placed on a wall or table. The paper represents the timeline or workflow of the project/process. Participants use sticky notes or cards to represent tasks, decisions, events, or milestones, and these are arranged chronologically on the brown paper. Colour-coded notes are used:  What worked well (green) ; and What didn’t work (red).

 

This image shows the brown paper method in action. Key events or stages of the project are listed horizontally across the top of the brown paper workspace. Key points or issues are added as cards or post-it notes as appropriate, using green or red colour coding. The image also shows these issue postings then being replicated in groupings, and starting to consider priorities at this stage too.
The Brown Paper Method in Action. © Dr Derek Shaw.

Identifying impacts and insights

Further analysis then groups or clusters entries into themes, or by functions. For each entry further discussion is used to identify:

  • What was the issue?
  • What impact did it have?
  • What insights or learning can we glean? What could we change?

 Impact Control Analysis

Derek also identifies the value of using Impact Control analysis to help prioritise lessons learned. Lessons with high impact and where reviewing participants also have high levels of control (the ability to effect change) should be dealt with by the Team as a high priority. Lessons with high impact, but where Team Members have low control (poor ability to effect change) could be shared elsewhere in the organisation for further action.

 

A tool to map issues by their impact, and by how much control you have to effect change. Impact is recorded on the vertical axis, ranging from low to high, while control is on the horizontal axis, also ranging from low to high. The resultant four quadrants help you to identify issues of greatest impact, and where you have the most impact to effect change.

 Impact / Control Diagram © Dr Derek Shaw. 

  

Check out the recording!

This 7-minute webinar extract is available to CILIP Members via the GIG News web pages. https://www.cilip.org.uk/members/group_content_view.asp?group=201301&id=689976.We hope that it informs and inspires!

Please join the conversation! Have you used the Brown Paper method previously and was this successful? Have you successfully migrated capture of lessons learned to hybrid or online environments? Are you using different ways to capture learning from projects, incidents and operational delivery? Please do get in touch mailto:secretary.gig@cilip.org.uk

 

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